Red Shadows (Howard book)

Red Shadows is a sword and sorcery story by Robert E. Howard, first published in the December 1928 issue of Weird Tales. It is the first story to feature Howard's character Solomon Kane, a somber and driven Puritan adventurer who wanders the world fighting evil.

The story is set in France and depicts Kane's encounter with Le Loup, a notorious brigand, and his gang. Kane is driven by a desire for vengeance after witnessing Le Loup's men murder a young girl. He relentlessly pursues the brigands, ultimately confronting them in a bloody and brutal battle. The story establishes Kane's character as a grim and uncompromising figure, haunted by a sense of moral obligation and driven by an almost fanatical zeal in his pursuit of justice. Red Shadows is notable for its fast pace, visceral action, and the introduction of a recurring character within the Solomon Kane series, the witch doctor N'Longa, though he only appears in a brief vision. The story is considered a foundational work in the development of the Solomon Kane character and the themes that would define his adventures.